Academy SP 〜An Ex-Mercenary Reincarnated as a Mob in a Gal Game. I Ditched My Bodyguard Job to Enjoy High School Life, but When the Ultra-Rich Heroines Were About to Get Killed, I Stepped In… and Somehow Built a Harem Powerful Enough to Control Japan〜 - Chapter 120 & 121

Chapter 120

Side: Yuuji

“Suiran, what exactly do you mean by that?”

Chouichirou-san, who was standing nearby, immediately questioned her.

Well, of course he did.

Even I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Of course, this is only a request, not an order. But Grandfather, please hear me out.”

With a completely serious expression, she continued.

“I believe he has the highest chance of protecting Eleanor’s life.”

“What?”

“He detected the terrorists’ movements before anyone else, stopped the bomb from being thrown, and even subdued the remaining attackers with only two shots. —And he did it without killing them.”

“Right?” she asked Eleanor in English, and Eleanor nodded firmly.

“(It’s true. If he hadn’t been there… we probably would’ve…)”

Vice President Hargrave swallowed hard after hearing that.

“(Forgive me for asking, but… who exactly are you? You still look like a student.)”

This time, Chouichirou-san answered for me.

“(He’s a student from ‘Academy SP.’)”

“(Academy SP…?)”

“(Officially, the details are kept secret, but in reality, it’s an institution created to train students who protect conglomerate heiresses. …And if Suiran says his abilities are real, then I believe her.)”

The Vice President placed a hand on his chin and quietly thought things over.

Still…

Chouichirou-san was giving me way more credit than I expected.

“(I see. So there’s real value in having him around. If possible, then I’d like to personally request your help as well.)”

“Eh!?”

Having someone that important from America directly ask me for help completely caught me off guard.

“But… there’s someone I need to prioritize protecting above all else—”

As I said that, I looked toward Suiran.

“Eh? Me?”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

…Wait.

Looking at her at this timing kinda made it seem like I had some weird ulterior motive or something.

N-No, that’s not it.

It’s just that if Suiran Kousaki’s bad ending was somehow still continuing…

Then maybe protecting her should remain my top priority.

“…Fufu.”

Suiran suddenly grinned.

“Mou, Yuu-kun ♡ You seriously like me way too much~!”

“Hey, stop jabbing me with your elbow…”

“…Thanks, though. But I’ll be fine. Someone else will protect me.”

“Someone else?”

Right after she said that—and after checking something on her phone—

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

After getting permission, the people waiting outside entered the room.

A group of men walked in—

And the moment I saw the one standing in the center, I blurted out in surprise.

“You… Morimiya!”

“Hmph…”

He glared at me with obvious irritation.

Behind him stood several heavily built men who looked tough as hell.

“Those are the guys from the ‘Morimiya Guard,’ huh.”

Suiran nodded at my words.

“The police will handle Grandfather’s protection. And they’ll be in charge of protecting me. By the way, every single one of them is armed with handguns too.”

Sure enough, the insides of their suit jackets bulged slightly, so that was probably where the guns were hidden.

(Can these guys really protect her…?)

Honestly, I had serious doubts.

This version of Japan had bad public safety, sure, but not to the point where terrorist attacks happened constantly.

Because of that, people here seemed incredibly weak when it came to actual gunfights.

Could I really trust them with her safety?

“Hey, Yuu-kun.”

Suiran lightly tugged on my sleeve.

She gestured for me to come closer, then pulled me a little away from the others.

While she did that, I heard Morimiya loudly click his tongue behind us, clearly jealous as hell…

“…We can’t lower their morale right now.”

Suiran quietly whispered, finally revealing what she really thought.

“To be honest… If I compare the elite members of the ‘Morimiya Guard’ to you alone— I still think you’re stronger.”

“…Huh?”

“That’s exactly why I want you to protect Eleanor. I’ll feel safer if you’re there.”

“But…”

“Fufu. Are you still worried about me after all?”

Suiran whispered softly right beside my ear.

A sweet scent drifted from her, making my heart jump without warning.

“W-Well… yeah…”

Because there was still a chance the bad ending hadn’t fully ended yet.

That thought slipped out before I could stop myself.

Suiran’s eyes trembled slightly.

“…Fufu.”

But she immediately smiled again, trying to hide her reaction.

“I see. Somehow… that actually makes me kind of happy.”

After smiling shyly like that, her expression turned serious again.

“Then I want you to protect Eleanor. If her life ends up in danger here in Japan… the relationship between Japan and America could collapse instantly. And if that happens, something truly terrible could happen. So—I want you to prioritize protecting her.”

“Suiran…”

“In the end, that’ll protect me too, right? ♡”

I could see the determination in her eyes.

In other words—

Because she trusted me more than anyone else, she wanted me protecting Eleanor instead of herself.

And if that was the case, then I had no choice but to live up to those expectations.

“…Got it. —Hey, Morimiya.”

I turned around and called out to him.

“Do your job properly.”

The moment he heard that, he looked openly irritated.

“Obviously!”

Watching that exchange, Suiran happily declared, “Alright!” and grabbed my hand, pulling me over toward Eleanor.

“(So! Yuu-kun will be joining Eleanor’s escort team!)” 

Eleanor blinked in surprise before giving an awkward little smile.

“(Thank you. I really trust you. But… sorry, Yuu.)”

“(Eh?)”

“(You probably wanted to protect your girlfriend Sui instead of me, right…?)”

“(Ah, no… it’s not really like we’re dating or anything…)”

Right then, Suiran started squishing my cheek with her fingers.

“(Geez~ Yuu-kun is sooo possessive ♡)”

“(Seriously, you…)”

She was absolutely enjoying this.

…Well, maybe she was also trying to lighten the mood.

Thanks to that, Eleanor smiled for the first time since all this started.

“(Then… umm… I’ll be in your care.)”

She bowed her head in Japanese style, and I answered—“(Of course.)”

“Just because Eleanor’s cute doesn’t mean you’re allowed to cheat, Yuu-kun ♡”

“Oh, come on…”

〇

—17:04

“Eh? So you’re saying you can’t come back today?”

“Yeah. Looks like it.”

I explained everything that had happened so far to Wakita over the phone.

“So it really is connected to the terrorist attack this time?”

“…No, that’s…”

“Ah, it’s fine. You don’t have to say it. Actually, you probably can’t say it, right? Judging from the situation, you’re probably carrying out some really important mission.”

This guy seriously was way too sharp.

My current mission was to escort Eleanor safely to the charter flight.

And of course, do it without anyone finding out.

That was why I’d been keeping the details hidden even from Wakita.

…Still, this guy was honestly scary smart sometimes.

“But Yuuji, you’ll be back tomorrow properly, right?”

“Huh?”

“It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”

“…Ah.”

“‘Ah,’ he says. Don’t tell me you forgot your own birthday?”

“Nah, it’s just… so much stuff’s been happening lately… haha…”

Even though it had already been quite a while since I reincarnated as the mob character Yuuji Takahashi…

…I still didn’t really know much about myself.

Wait a second, though.

“Hey, Wakita. Why the hell do you know my birthday?”

“Huh? Isn’t it normal to look up your best friend’s birthday ahead of time? What are you talking about?”

“I-Is it…?”

W-Was that how best friends worked?

I seriously wouldn’t know. I’ve never had one before…

Honestly, this guy was kinda scary.

Or maybe my sense of normal was messed up…?

“Seriously… we were even planning to surprise you and celebrate.”

“Hm? Wait. What do you mean by ‘we’—”

Right then—

I heard some rustling noises from the other side of the phone.

And then—

“Yuujiii…”
“Yuuji-kun…”
“Takahashiii…”

I instantly let out a terrified “Hii!”

The voices sounded like ghosts straight out of some horror story, dripping with freezing resentment.

You get it, right?

—It was Sara, Ririko, and Ayaka.

More importantly, why the hell were they talking like cursed spirits full of vengeance…?

“U-Um… don’t tell me you three have been waiting around for me this whole time…?”

The moment I nervously asked that—

“““Obviously!!”””

All three answered at the exact same time.

“Seriously, seriously, seriously!”

“…Do ya even realize how worried we’ve been?”

“And yet the first person you call is—Wakita!?”

Right afterward, I heard Wakita screaming somewhere in the background.

“Eh? Um… why are you three glaring at me— GYAAAAAHHH!!”

…Wakita.

He was a good man.

“Mouu! Why are you sticking your nose into some dangerous-looking incident right before your birthday!? Do you have any idea how worried we are…?”

“Sara…”

“We even prepared an amazing birthday present for you, Yuuji! —A private island near Tokyo! And it even comes with a vacation house!”

…No, that gift is way too heavy.

“…Seriously, Yuuji-kun. To us, your life matters more than anything else. So we don’t want you getting hurt doing dangerous stuff.”

“Ririko…”

“And I prepared a birthday present too. —A whole mountain forest in Kyoto! It’s got a villa and a campground included!”

…No, seriously. That’s way too heavy too.

“Takahashi… We trust you. But seriously, stop messing with our emotions like this. Please…”

“Ayaka…”

“By the way, I prepared a birthday present too. On another day, let’s go pheasant hunting together on some abandoned farmland owned by the Kirishima conglomerate. Pheasants right after breeding season are delicious in hotpot.”

…Wait, yours is completely different from the others.

Why the hell is your birthday present pheasant hunting?

But somehow…

That’s the one I’m most interested in!

Anyway—

I understood now just how worried the three of them were.

But even so, I still had to go.

“…Thanks.”

There were actually this many people willing to celebrate my birthday.

If that was the case, then I had to fight to protect them.

Just like with Suiran—

Whether or not I protected Eleanor could determine the fate of countless people in Japan.

“I’ll definitely come back safely. So wait for me a little longer.”

The moment I said that, I heard laughter from the other side of the phone.

“I figured Yuuji would say that.”

“Yeah, got it. We’ll wait for ya.”

“Just make sure you come back alive.”

Then the phone was handed back to Wakita.

“In that case—do your best, best buddy!”

“Yeah…”

“What’s with that? You still sound down.”

Then I heard footsteps coming from Wakita’s side of the phone.

“—So? Are the conglomerate heiresses’ feelings too heavy for you?”

He’d probably walked somewhere farther away so the girls couldn’t overhear us.

“…Heavy, yeah. They are heavy. But not in a bad way. It’s just… their feelings are way too big for someone like me to carry. I’m not confident I can accept all of it.”

No—

More than that, I was probably stopping myself because deep down I believed I shouldn’t accept it.

After all, the guilt from my previous life still lingered inside me—

And then Wakita suddenly laughed.

“Hahaha! Hey, Yuuji.”

“Hm?”

“Do you know what ‘unconditional love’ means? It’s love that doesn’t ask for anything in return. Love that treasures the other person’s happiness and existence itself.”

“…What’s your point?”

“—My point is that you deserve to be loved plenty, idiot. Well, whatever. We’re throwing you a huge celebration tomorrow, so make sure you come back properly, alright? Best buddy.”

And with that, the call ended.

That guy really did have a way of throwing me off balance.

But somehow…

I felt like I’d been given a little strength.

“Alright.”

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and headed back toward the hotel.

〇

Side: Chouichirou

—17:14

An important piece of information had just come in.

Only a few hours had passed since the terrorist attack, yet the police had already gathered an incredible amount of intel.

Part of that was because they were highly capable.

But more than anything, it was thanks to the influence of Chouichirou—

No, the overwhelming power of the Kousaki conglomerate across both politics and business.

Because of that influence, massive police resources had been mobilized, and the latest information was being centralized directly to Chouichirou in real time.

And among all those incoming reports—

One particular update made Chouichirou question his own ears.

“Shigenobu, say that again.”

Chouichirou Kousaki asked once more over the phone to his nephew, Shigenobu Kousaki, the Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency.

“You found him? The missing terrorist—Kazuki Touma?”

The police investigation was moving at an unusually fast pace.

“Yes. We identified his name through testimony from captured members of the Anti-American Patriot Front. According to them, all the weapons they obtained came through illegal overseas channels operated by Touma Trading, the company run by his parents. Judging from the serial numbers and tracing data, the information appears highly credible.”

“That part is fine. And then you sent investigators to Kazuki Touma’s house for questioning, didn’t you?”

“Correct. His parents were home, however… we discovered that he suddenly ran away from home about six months ago, and his whereabouts had been unknown ever since.”

“And yet… you still found him.”

When Chouichirou cautiously asked that, Shigenobu answered in a tense voice.

“Yes. While collecting DNA data to search for Kazuki Touma… we uncovered something horrifying. He’s been dead this whole time. Buried beneath an apartment building.”

“Then that means… !?”

“Yes. —Human remains were discovered beneath an apartment building in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, which was being demolished. The identity had remained unknown until now, but we’ve confirmed beyond doubt that the remains belong to Kazuki Touma.’”

Chapter 121

Side: Chouichirou

“Shigenobu. What’s your opinion on this matter?”

Chouichirou asked the Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency for his thoughts.

“According to both the terrorists we arrested and the lower-ranking members of the Anti-American Patriot Front who knew nothing about the actual plot, there’s no doubt that Kazuki Touma had been regularly visiting their office for the past six months.”

“And yet, Kazuki Touma was murdered on the very day he disappeared.”

“The forensic autopsy confirmed it beyond question.”

“And after that, his body was buried beneath an apartment building… Sounds strange? That would mean there were two Kazuki Toumas.”

“Y-Yes… which leaves us with only one possible conclusion. The Kazuki Touma who joined the Anti-American Patriot Front was an impostor pretending to be him…”

Even Shigenobu’s voice trembled slightly at the bizarre, almost supernatural nature of the case.

But Chouichirou had already begun to suspect something.

So he asked Shigenobu for more detailed information about Kazuki Touma.

And the response he received was this—

“Kazuki Touma apparently didn’t get along with his family, and he had even taken leave from university to spend his time fooling around. Basically, he was what people would call a delinquent. It wasn’t unusual for him to leave home without contacting anyone, so his parents didn’t think much of it at first. However, this was apparently the first time he’d been gone for over a month, which is why they eventually filed a missing person report.”

“So since he was a delinquent, I assume he was mixed up with dangerous people too?”

“It seems he lived pretty wildly in the nightlife. We questioned some of his friends, and they said he’d been experimenting with drugs as well…”

“I see. So Kazuki Touma had opportunities to connect with people from the underworld…”

“Chouichirou-san… don’t tell me you already have some idea what’s behind this bizarre incident?”

For a brief moment, Chouichirou hesitated at Shigenobu’s question.

But at this point, there was no reason to stay silent anymore.

So he finally began speaking.

“Shigenobu. I kept this hidden from you, but for several years now, I’ve been using the Tokko to investigate a certain organization.”

“The Tokko…? You mean the secret police, the Special Higher Police?”

The Special Higher Police—

An organization created under the justification of “eliminating acts that threaten the foundations of the state.”

It operated separately from the National Police Agency.

Its primary activities involved surveillance, infiltration, and investigations targeting nationalists and political groups—

In other words, espionage.

“Yeah. The organization’s name is—AJP. The Anti-Japan Party.”

“T-The Anti-Japan Party…? That American ideological group? Sure, they’re known for making extreme statements on social media, but… why are you investigating them?”

“…Because their extremism has gone far beyond mere words.”

“N-No way…”

A heavy tension filled the air.

A terrible possibility crossed Shigenobu’s mind.

“Most likely, Kazuki Touma was murdered by an AJP operative. And after that, someone impersonated him, manipulated the Anti-American Patriot Front from within, and pushed them into carrying out this terrorist attack. When you look at it that way, everything fits together.”

“B-But something like that…”

“AJP had apparently been targeting spoiled brats connected to the underworld. No… perhaps they specifically found Kazuki Touma first and built this entire plan around him. According to the Tokko, there had been suspicious activity involving foreign organizations aggressively trying to connect with delinquents in nightlife districts.”

“Then that means the real masterminds behind this terrorist attack are—AJP.”

“Exactly. And now the murders of Chikuma and the others from the Anti-American Patriot Front make sense too. They were silenced. And from here on… the situation gets even worse.”

Shigenobu swallowed nervously.

Then Chouichirou spoke with grim resolve.

“—Those bastards may not have given up on the terrorist attack yet.”

“C-Chouichirou-san… Vice President Hargrave’s press conference is about to begin, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we cancel it immediately—”

“No. That won’t be possible. We still don’t know for certain whether another attack will happen. And on top of that, he has his pride as a politician. If he turns around and flees now, it could destroy his entire political career. —That man will never bend his convictions.”

Which meant—

They had no choice except to protect him.

That was the conclusion Chouichirou reached.

“Continue reporting everything to me, no matter how insignificant it seems. —Use every resource available to track down AJP and the fake Kazuki Touma!”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

“Listen carefully, Shigenobu. The reason I forced the Kousaki conglomerate into the public eye and even used my influence to place you in the position of Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency… —Was for a moment exactly like this. Don’t fail me.”

From here on—

This was Chouichirou’s battle.

To protect Vice President Hargrave from the fake Kazuki Touma and the threat of AJP—

What he needed most now…

…Was time.

〇

—17:24

“(What!? You want to move the press conference scheduled for 18:00 to 21:00!?)”

Vice President Hargrave raised his voice at the completely unacceptable proposal Chouichirou had just made.

“(Secretary-General Kousaki! You understand the situation too, don’t you!? A terrorist attack has already happened! I need to show the American people that I’m alive and unharmed as soon as possible!)”

Honestly, his anger was understandable.

At this rate, people would start calling him a cowardly Vice President who fled from terrorists—

Or worse, if the press conference got delayed too long, rumors might even spread that he’d been killed.

And if that happened, there was no telling how much damage it would do to the administration.

He desperately wanted to regain control of the situation as quickly as possible.

“(Now, now, please calm down, Vice President.)”

Chouichirou tried to soothe him.

What the Japanese Secretary-General truly wanted was time—

Time to either capture the fake Kazuki Touma, or at the very least locate him and confirm there was no longer any threat of another terrorist attack.

And Chouichirou intended to secure that time using the masterful negotiation skills he was famous for.

“(Vice President, I understand your desire to hold the press conference immediately. However, please think about this calmly. Right now, in American time, it’s still early morning—no, practically 3 AM.)”

“…!”

“(Even if you announce that you’re safe in the middle of the night, the impact will be weak. If we’re going to do this, then it should be at 21:00 Japan time. That way, your healthy appearance can be broadcast live as breaking news to New York at 7 AM—right when your support base is waking up. …If you want maximum impact, wouldn’t that be the perfect timing? People will see you before work. Before school. At the start of their day.)”

Vice President Hargrave rested a hand against his chin and quietly thought it over.

“(…You do have a point.)”

“(Exactly. And until your daughter safely returns home, I believe it would be best for us to release as little information as possible from our side. In that sense, delaying the press conference even works as a convenient excuse. There are certainly risks, but the benefits are far greater.)”

“(I see… As expected of the Secretary-General. Very well. We’ll do it your way. However, the press conference must happen at 21:00. I expect every possible problem that could arise before then to be resolved.)”

It was a ridiculous demand—

But Chouichirou had no choice except to answer immediately.

“(Understood. We’ll make the necessary arrangements. Until then, please try to get some rest.)”

Even though he was the Vice President of America, the world’s superpower, Hargrave was still only a politician in his mid-forties.

Compared to him, Chouichirou was an old veteran of the political world.

And it seemed his negotiation skills were on an entirely different level.

But most importantly—

They had successfully bought themselves more time.

“(Then we’ll proceed around 21:00. At Chiba Arlin Stadium.)”

“(Yes.)”

With that, the call ended.

(From here on… all we can do is trust the people stationed at each location.)

Almost like praying, Chouichirou quietly clasped his hands together.

Hoping that Vice President Hargrave and Eleanor would both survive safely—

〇 

Side: Touma (?) 

—17:35

Inside a certain office building.

The man who had assumed the identity of the twenty-two-year-old eldest son of Touma Trading, even going as far as undergoing plastic surgery on his face—

Received a message.

As usual, it came through a highly encrypted social media platform.

The sender’s name displayed: “AJP.”

The English message read:

[The Vice President’s press conference has been postponed. The time has been changed to approximately 21:00.]

(Heh? I figured they’d try to do it much sooner. Pretty calm decision-making.)

Another message arrived immediately afterward.

[Meanwhile, the transport operation for his daughter Eleanor will proceed as scheduled in ten minutes. Escort team consists of a combined force of six Kousaki family and Vice Presidential personnel, plus one Japanese student.]

[…Hm?]

Curious about the “Japanese student” part, he sent back a question.

The reply came almost instantly.

[Apparently he is Suiran Kousaki’s boyfriend. He was reportedly the one who prevented the terrorist attack before it happened. He is assumed to possess some degree of ability, though the exact truth remains unknown. There is no need to underestimate him, but there is also no reason to fear him excessively.]

“…Fuhn.”

The man impersonating Kazuki Touma hadn’t actually witnessed how the Japanese student stopped the terrorist attack.

Partway through the operation, he had returned to the Anti-American Patriot Front office in order to silence Chikuma and the others.

So he knew nothing about what had happened on-site.

(Well, doesn’t sound like anyone worth seriously fearing.)

Another message arrived.

[In order to ensure the success of the current operation, we have decided to proceed with a three-front strategy.]

(Oh? Splitting up the forces like that? That’s a pretty bold move. Well… sounds fun.)

Another message followed.

[Code Name ‘G’ is to carry out Plan C independently. End of briefing.]

The messages disappeared immediately afterward.

“Code Name: G”—

That was the codename assigned to the man impersonating Kazuki Touma.

A grin spread across his face.

This mission looked entertaining too.

“Roger… guess that’s how it is.”

〇

Side: Yuuji

—17:45

(Alright.)

It was time.

I spoke to Eleanor, who stood beside me disguised in sunglasses, a mask, and a noblewoman-style silk hat.

“(Ready?)”

Most of her face was hidden, but it was obvious she was terrified.

Which was understandable.

There was no telling where an enemy might appear from.

I didn’t mean anything weird by it, but at least to encourage her, I gently tightened my grip on the hand I’d been holding.

“(It’s okay. I won’t let them lay even a finger on you.)”

Her hand trembled slightly.

Then, right afterward, she let out a small laugh and quietly said—

“(Are you always this smooth with girls or something?)” 

“(Eh?)”

“(I got a little jealous of Sui just now. Having someone this cool as your boyfriend and all.)”

“(H-Huh…)”

“(Don’t tell me… you say things like that to other girls too? Like, besides Sui, do you secretly have two or three other girlfriends?)”

“(…………N-No! Absolutely not!!)”

We’re not dating.

We seriously are not dating!

“(Fufufu…)”

Well, at least she seemed a little calmer now, so that was good.

I looked at her again and spoke firmly.

“(Alright. Let’s go.)”

“(Okay.)”

Together, we headed toward the elevator.

Our destination—

The underground parking garage.